Control of magnetic anisotropy in a Co thin film on a flexible substrate by applying biaxial tensile strain

Abstract

We have demonstrated a reversible control of magnetic anisotropy in Pt/Co and Pd/Co structures formed on a polyethylene naphthalate flexible substrate by stretching the substrate biaxially. Compared with the case of the uniaxial tensile strain, which has been previously studied, the in-plane biaxial tensile strain produces much larger compressive strain normal to the plane, resulting in the significant modulation of the perpendicular magnetic anisotropy. We found the magnetic easy axis switching from in-plane to out-of-plane by applying up to 2% biaxial strain. In-plane magnetic anisotropy induced by the biaxial tensile strain is also investigated.